I can't believe we're already halfway through January. I swear it was just New Year's the other day. Does anyone else agree that January is just a boring month? It's sad taking down the Christmas decorations (which by the way I have not accomplished yet...maybe next weekend) and not being able to snuggle next to the lights while watching a Christmas movie. The weather also seems to get colder and that's when the snow finally decides to just hammer us. It makes it hard to have weekend plans. I'm grateful though, that we live by some pretty parks (even if we've already been there a couple of times, and even if we only adventure there for a  couple of minutes because we can't bare to stand outside any longer).

I think I've finally adapted to the true Minnesotan/Wisconsin uniform: a flannel, boot socks, and Red Wing boots. It only took me a couple of years, but here I am! I can't seem to get on board with the whole "shacket" trend, but I love this babydoll flannel. I love the hunter green color, even if my boyfriend calls me his lumberjack. 

The drive up to this park was just beautiful. All the trees and branches were frosted so it felt like a winter wonderland. Of course though, as we neared closer to the destination, all of that frostiness disappeared. Oh well! I still think the photos turned out cute. Which, by the way, I don't think I mentioned my new lens. My boyfriend was the sweetest and got my it for Christmas. I've been using the same 50mm 1.8 lens for years. His brother in law thought I needed an upgrade though. I'm blown away by the quality. I knew I wanted to invest in a new one for a while, but was too lazy to do the research. I'm so glad his brother in law recommended this one. It was such a great surprise on Christmas! I had a blast stopping at all points on our little "trip" to capture different moments. It's funny to see my boyfriend being so protective of it. Every time I slightly slipped on the snowy ground, he got concerned. It was cute, but I understand his fear of me cracking the glass. 

Oh and how could I forget that we didn't even make it to the destination of the waterfall. Some how we ended up in a different parking lot (though it looked the same to us) and we were thrown off. After slipping a few times down some rocks, we decided this little tiny waterfall was good enough. 

SHOP MY Flannel|| SHOP MY HIKING BOOTS

 

A little bit late, but Happy New Year! I think we can all agree that 2020 was an unforgettable year, and like many of you have already stated, one that simply sucked. Being furloughed was probably the lowest part of the year. Some might say it must've been great having an extended "summer vacation" as an adult. I could wake up at whatever time I pleased and had no "responsibilities".  I joked that the only day that mattered was garbage day; any other day was practically a weekend. For the first week, it was great. I finally was able to get "caught up" on social media, youtube videos, tv shows, and most importantly...sleep. After that first 7 days though, it went just as I thought it would: miserably. I woke up each day dreading how I would pass time. I missed having a purpose and having that socialization with coworkers, family members, and friends. It was during that time frame of being furloughed from April-June, that I realized how dependent I was on my career giving me joy; I had no other hobbies. Sure I could have grew my instagram, start blogging again, or finally get around to those tasks that always get pushed back like organizing my garage, or finish DIYs.

If anything good came out of that dark timeframe, it would be that I found the joy of relaxing outside. I know how silly this might sound. But I truly loved the time that I would spend sitting by the water deep in thought, reading my latest cheesy romantic novel, or deepening my faith. I loved the nights that my boyfriend and I would spend watching the waves at a local "beach" or as close to a "beach" that Minnesota can get. And I think it's safe to say that I got my money's worth of our outdoor table set. I would eat as many meals outside that I could. My neighbors must have thought I was nuts having a fan set up outside... but hey, you gotta-do-what-you-gotta-do on those 90+ degree days. 

2020 was supposed to be the year of all these weddings. Instead, we only got to attend 2 of the 5. I remember stressing out about how I need all these new dresses, but couldn't find any cute ones. All that time online shopping was for nothing. I was a bridesmaid in 1, and the other I ended up wearing an oldie but a goodie. 

Those weddings were the highlight of my year! Other than those 2 days, I can't think of a whole lot happening. Easter was spent with just my boyfriend. We cooked a mini prebaked ham in the oven but ended up throwing it out because there was a suspicious rainbow spot. 

The final memory that I have of 2020 was all the nights spent watching One Tree Hill. We were ADDICTED in the first few seasons. I dreaded the day that we finished the whole series and would have nothing to watch. Well...we're at the point where we have nothing to watch. And no...we didn't finish the series. To be honest, I don't even remember where we left off. Once the cast grew into adults, the show got a little dull. I am determined though that we'll pick the show back up again. Nathan and Haley <3

It's January 6th, and the world is far from where it was in 2019. My coworkers have been cut in half and I miss all the background chatters and laughter. Working from home and doing teams calls is just not the same. When will be able to travel again? When will masks not be our most thought about accessory? And When will be able to have gatherings and not be judged? I know New Years doesn't change these things, but there's something about the start of the year that brings hope for a new beginning. I know not everyone is found of resolutions but I want to list a few of mine: 

• Save, Save Save! I'm not one to stick to a budget, but I find that if I use a finance app regularly, I more likely to realize how fast money can go. If 2020 taught me 1 thing, it's that your job can be taken from you at any moment. 
• Be more organized. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm one to let things get out of hand and procrastinate. I want to instead, make sure everything has a place and things get put away...that goes with emails too! I find it helps to start or end my day with a 15 minute clean up. I've already started tackling organizing my closet and getting caught up on laundry (which btw, I've realized I'm the cause of all of our clothes shrinking. Who would have guessed that there are different settings on a washer? Long story short, I've been washing our laundry on the "super" setting all this time and didn't realize it. I'm the reason I can no longer wear my favorite tops and dresses...sigh. RIP)
• Deepen my faith. Plain and Simple! I'm hoping my anxiety can decrease too because of that. Being anxious all day just sucks!
• Clear my Skin: I have a habit of some nights just using a makeup wipe to remove my makeup, and some nights not even that. My adult acne has gotten out of control. I want to stick to a routine in the hopes of my scars, hyperpigmentation, and active breakouts finally disappear

Last but not least.....

• Be consistent with blogging. This was a hobby that I loved so much in college and brought me so much joy experimenting with my creativity. I want to start posting on here regularly as well as Instagram. If you've followed me for a while, leave me a comment. I'm curious if anyone still reads my blog, or am I just talking to myself lol

I think it's safe so say that summer weather has finally arrived in Minnesota. We've hit 90s twice in the past two days. I can't say that I'm a huge fan of that high of temps. Those two days I've spent the majority of my time inside. The other days though, it's been so amazing starting my morning with a walk around the neighborhood or ending my night with a sunset walk by the water. I've intended to take advantage of my time off by practicing golf. Somehow the days fly by though, and I never end up adding it to my agenda.  It's not that I'm busy, it's more so my couch sounds more comfortable. Anyone else have the same issue?

We've finally invested in an outdoor patio table set and it has been the best decision. I find myself gravitating towards that over the dinner table, and it's been great to sit outside and read all afternoon. I was going to sit out there this morning and do my usual browsing social media routine, but ALL my neighbors had the same idea. Let's just say I'm not a social butterfly and would rather enjoy my peace and quite. Please tell me I'm not the only one who looks out their window first before stepping outside.

I bought a small Gerber daisy plant to go in a lantern outside, but it's actually too big. So instead, it's acting as our table centerpiece. It adds a nice pop of red. My décor inside is pretty much all strictly black and white with lots of gingham. So, I decided my front porch area needs lots of color to liven up the place. I haven't killed any of my plants yet, but lets just say they don't look quite as lively as they did when I bought them at the nursery. Can you tell I'm more of a fan of fake plants?

I'm sure just like everyone, I've been itching to travel or at least have a change of scenery. This summer/fall I have 4 weddings and 1 concert to attend. Not gonna lie, I'm going to be pretty upset if any of them get cancelled. In the meantime,  I managed to find these gems from a trip to Chicago I took last October. It's crazy to think how much the world has changed in just 2 months. Can we go back to the time when people are not afraid to walk next to you on a sidewalk?

On this trip, I got to cross two things off my Chicago bucket list: taking pictures by lake Michigan, and seeing the Home Alone house. Let me tell you, their yard is a lot smaller than I was picturing. And, not gonna lie, I felt a little creepy just slowly driving by it. I was surprised by how blue/green Lake Michigan is. Words do not do it justice! Down by the beach felt like a completely different world. It felt like summer again!

Of course we had to take a stop at Lincoln Park Zoo. Who doesn't look free activities? It doesn't compare to Brookfield Zoo, but this zoo has a synchronized swimming polar bear. He would do this cute flip thing over and over. It was adorable! Anyways, that was the gist of our trip: eating and site seeing!

I'll say what we're all thinking: what a crazy time for us to be alive. Our routine's have been completely stripped, and we're left with nothing but time to pass in creative ways. I'll be the first to admit, the first week I had to work from home was awful. I'm someone that strives on a routine of getting out of the house. People think I'm crazy that I have an hour commute. I personally love taking that time to unwind and reflect. So, it took time to adjust to me just waking up and jumping straight into work. On top of that, I missed the chatter in the background and the social interaction. As a result, I looked forward to conference calls (which is not like me). Though, I always had a sticky note on my camera on the odd chance that someone saw my makeup free face and rats nest of a top knot.
I slowly began to accept this was going to be my new life, for who knows how long (though I hoped it would only be a few weeks). Little did I know that I would be furloughed. Never in a million years, would I predict just 2 years after graduating college, I would be filing for unemployment. It's scary to think about the unknown. How long will our economy be like this? How long will I be without a stable paycheck? How will my finances be? When will I get back to doing all things I love? These are questions that I'm sure are running through all your minds.



For now, I'm going to take advantage of this time off. I went through a phase in college where I would spend my entire free-time reading blog posts, commenting, and posting content. I loved it! I want to get back into that. So, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I need to go through my bloglovin' subscription and add some fresh faces. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Expect lots more content from me (some old pictures and some new...but don't worry, I'll be practicing social distancing). The actual meat of the blogpost will be where I'll be struggling. What are y'all talking about in your posts? I normally like to incorporate what's happening  in my life or the usual briefly talking about my new outfit. Neither of those will be existent for obvious reasons, so I'll have to get creative. Let me know if you have any recommendations! Until next time :)